What an exciting time! What is the first step that should be taken when introducing your dog to his new home? You and your new dog will both be happier if he is well trained. This article has lots of helpful advice about training your dog.
If you plan on using a crate as part of your puppy’s training routine, introduce the apparatus and its’ functions very gradually. When they seem comfortable in it with the door open, try shutting the gate and feed them treats through the wires. Start off small, like 10 seconds at a time, and slowly move up the times. If they get upset, it’s too fast.
If you are working on crate training your indoor puppy or dog, you can always try a few tricks. If your pet is nervous about the crate, consider putting a toy or treat inside to motivate them to go in. They will want to get to the bone, which means going into the crate. When they go inside to get the bone, give them lots of positive reinforcement.
You should have a specific feeding pattern for your dog. You can set a firm schedule by teaching the dog to anticipate that the food will be removed within 10 to 15 minutes of the start of mealtime. Before long, your dog will learn to eat more quickly and efficiently.
Crate training requires extreme consistency. When you allow the puppy to come out of the crate, you have to immediately and without fail give him the chance to relieve his bladder. Doing so helps him learn when it is okay to go to the bathroom.
Train your dog to remain calm when you walk into the room. During playtime allow your dog to be feisty, but teach him to remain calm when someone enters a room. If you do not recognize them right away, they will be more calm.
Monitor your own behavior to ensure you aren’t reinforcing your dog’s negative behaviors by mistake. This means that you should never reward your dog, with treats or attention, for doing something you’re trying to train it out of. If you wish to keep your dog from begging for table scraps, don’t encourage him by slipping him a morsel one night or allowing others to do so.
Give your dog a clear verbal cue that means “yes” to aid in training. It’s faster to tell your dog “yes” than it is to find and give it a treat.
Pick a consistent phrase to use with your puppy while house training. By using a dedicated expression to handle training commands, you can make it easier for your pet to focus and make connections. Although it sounds silly to repeat something like “poopie time!” over and over, the consistency will help your dog make the right link between being taken outside and relieving himself.
By training your dog, you are helping him to become a rule follower. Too many owners tend to be under the impression that once they have trained their dog, that’s the end of it. Like their human owners, pets truly are creatures of habit. For this reason, it is especially important to hold your dog to a strict disciplinary system.
“Leave it” is a command that should be taught and reinforced early on. This can help get your dog to stop chomping on your belongings and help keep them safe from hazardous materials.
You can show your dog how to do tricks, get some treats. The first step is to get the dog to lay down. Next, hold the treat close to the floor near its head, and bring it up over the dog’s head as you place it on the other side. He’ll follow your hand and roll over completely. While he rolls, say “roll over” and repeat this action until he is able to roll over with only the command. Be persistent and do not give up; it might take a while but will be worth it once they learn it.
Teaching a puppy their name is one of the first steps to undertake and creates a lasting bond. Call him by name frequently, and teach him to come when called. These are the commands your dog should learn before anything else. Be sure to spend lots of quality time with your puppy, so that he will learn to know and trust you. Once your puppy trusts you, it will be easier to train him.
Don’t waste your money on expensive training products, such as shock collars. They are both expensive and unlikely to work properly. Also, using devices such as shock collars can restrain your dog while discouraging good behavior. This kind of approach often ends in disaster.
“Quiet” is a command you will probably want to teach your dog. Use negative reinforcement to stop your dog from barking when it engages in this action. You can then give it the treat. Eventually they will stop barking altogether as a result of the positive association.
Whenever your dog improves in his training, allow him some extra freedom. This balance between obedience and freedom will provide your dog with a very satisfying life. Just be cautious not to give too much freedom at once, as this may have a counter effect on your dog training.
Training methods you use should be consistent. If the whole family is involved in the training, everyone should be on the same page as far as commands, discipline and rewards are concerned. When everyone has the same command in use, the dog will pick it up quickly.
“Leave it” is a very important command that teaches your dog to drop whatever it is holding. This should be the first command you teach. You can protect their safety and stop them from destroying valuables by teaching them to obey this simple command.
Don’t bog your puppy down with more information than he can process. Puppies have a very limited attention span. When doing training, make them in small short sessions and always make them positive. Your puppy will happier with the experience, and less resistant to your future efforts. He will be looking forward to them instead.
If your dog leaps on you, hold his paws and squeeze them a little so he will know this is not acceptable. While this will not seriously hurt the animal, it is certainly unpleasant and therefore makes a powerful statement. It won’t take long for your dog to associate the unpleasant sensation with the act of jumping up, and he will quickly stop doing so.
You can rest assured that when you train your puppy, they may have an accident in the house. Clean accidents up immediately to assist in your training efforts. Urine and feces smells will stay in the carpet if you don’t clean them up straight away, causing your dog to go back to the same place to do his business. There are a wide variety of odor control products designed to address just this situation, so head to the pet shop and ask about them.
Try teaching your dog the command of “down”. It can be very useful during emergencies and also serves as a great foundation for future lessons. Dogs that understand the “down” command are able to hit the ground whenever necessary, which is valuable in times of danger.
If you use a leash to train your pet, you must ensure that it remains loose rather than taut. When dogs go on walks, they frequently want to explore all the new sights and sounds. Their eagerness and energy may cause them to pull on the leash. Smart owners are quick to discourage this by rewarding the animal for leaving slack on the leash.
Work on recall with your dog. He should always come when called. Build this essential behavior in steps so your dog learns to obey despite distractions. Recall could save your pet’s life, so be sure not to skip this type of training although it may be challenging and time-consuming.
Leash training starts with putting a collar on your puppy while you play. It is important for the puppy to get used to the collar so it can be identified.
Your dog may be engaged in destructive chewing due to anxiety. If you keep him in a crate and give him toys that are safe for him to chew on, your dog and your house will stay safe.
Unwanted Behavior
When you are house training a dog, you may want to use a crate. It is important to put your dog out on a regular schedule for the crate method to work. Once properly trained, a dog that has been crate trained is less like to have an accident.
Make sure you’re praising your dog so that you enforce positive behavior. Smile at your dog and give them treats to reinforce good behavior. Never reward unwanted behavior as the dog will also relate the unwanted behavior to something positive as well.
Dogs who have something to do tend not to get into trouble, such as eating out of the trash can. You need to get rid of trash and do not keep it where your dog can get it. If your dog continues to dig in the trash, then crate them when you can’t supervise them.
Do not give your dog any punishments when you are in the process of training. Try to avoid unwanted behaviors to begin with. If they do occur, employ redirection by showing the dog what is expected. Training a pet should allow you to teach your pet and connect with him; the process should focus on positive communication.
Your older dog may have limitations due to age and illness that prevent it from doing all of the obedience tasks of a younger pup. If your dog is affected with a physical disorder, they may not be able to engage in physical activity. You can make your dog’s cognitive functions better with training, which helps fight age related decline in older canines. However, you must make sure that you’re not causing it unwarranted pain during exercise sessions.
If you’re house training a dog, try using a crate. Let your dog roam free each day, though, or crate training could have adverse effects. With a little patience, crate training can make a dog very unlikely to make a mess in the house.
If hiring an animal behavior professional is something you are considering, make sure to learn as much about them as you can. Opinions and techniques can vary from animal specialist to animal specialist. Make sure that the trainer you hire has a mentality similar to yours when it comes to working with pets.
Being well trained makes for happy dogs, and happy dog owners as well. You now have the information you need to get started with training your dog to become the well behaved pet you have been wanting.
Prepare your dog in having veterinary examinations. Use a gentle pass of your hand along their body to let them know that they are being praised when they act correctly. You also need to get him ready to have his paws held and looked at, as well as his teeth examined. Consider getting friends to help you out.